THROUGH THE UNITED STATES

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7, 8 January 1917, Page 7

THROUGH THE UNITED STATES

AUCXLANDER'S IMPRESSIONS. SUNNY CALIFORNIA. AMERICANS AND THE WAR. Mr. J. W. Stewart, of Messrs. Stewart and Johnston, solicitors, of tins city, returned last night, accompanied by Mrs. Stewart, from Vnacouver, after a health trip extending over seven months. Mr. Stewart has considerably benefited as a result. They first visited Denver, Colorado, where a specialist was consulted, and from there worked out west, through Salt Lake City and the Yellowstone Park of over 3000 square miles. During the journey through the park, which occupied five days, they lived under canvas all the time. The highest point in the park is over 7000 ft above sea level. From there they journeyed through San Francisco, Los Angelee and Santiago, in California.; then right away East, visiting the Grand Canyon of Arizona, that takes one's breath away when looking down into it.. It is two miles deep and 13 miles acrose from run to run, and its wonders are indescribable. From there they went through Chicago and Pittsburg, to Washington, New York, and Boston, and then on to Utica, and into Canada: to Hamilton, Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Victoria, 8.C., Seattle, to Everett. MILES OF FRUIT. What struck Mr. Stewart forcibly with regard to California was its extensive productiveness, especially in respect to temperate and sub-tropical fruits. Also with regard to their enormous mileage of automobile pavements. In California one passes for miles through orange groves, vineyards, peacli, apricot, and j prune orchards, and lime bean plantations, by the square mile. A very large i proportion of the area so cultivated and ; ■occupied is productive by reason of the fact that it is irrigated. Denver is the centre of an irrigation area, and it costs for water, roughly, £3 per acre per annum. In order to get an adequate return [from land under these conditions farming requires to be carried on on an extensive basis.

The activities of the large cities are intensely interesting to anyone who h:i3 not had the privilege of viewing business propositions conducted on a huge scale in our own country. The buildings in these large cities, especially in the way of hotels and railway depots are the last word in elegance, magnificence, and size. It is no unusual thing to find such buildings costing from a million dollars upwards. * MARVELLOUS TRANSPORT. The elevated railroad strike was in progress during Mr. Stewart's visit to New York, but except for the fact that [the street cars were enclosed with wire jTietting at both the and driver's ends one would not know that t-he strike was in progress. Of course, in New \ork enormous numbers are carried on the underground or subway railroads. It is no uncommon sight to see an underground train with 10 cars, each car almost as large as some of our railway carriages.

I Manufacturing in Cnnada, especially in regard to the making o f automobiles etc.. is completely dislocated owing to the plants being fully occupied making munitions. & FROM CARS TO SHELLS. Mr. Stewart had the pleasure of inspecting big motor car works at Toronto, where the plant -was engaged making fuses for large shells. He also saw large j implement works at Stratford, Ontario, now engaged in making the cases. These cases require to be made with the most extreme exactitude, in many cases having to pass a gauge set to one 5000 th part of an inch. Mr. Stewart returned with an experience of very great kindness received at the .hands of many Canadian and United States citizens who to him were total strangers, and from his conversation with people in all walks of life he found a striking unanimity of opinion in favour of the Entente Allies and their aims and objects in the present great European war. Whilst the newspapers gave great prominence to the Presidential election, there was not that enthusiasm or jjxeitement which one anticipated that such a contest would evoke. Tn some quarters party feeling ran pretty high, but among the rank and file there appeared to bo less interest shown than such a momentous event would warrant. THE DEUTSCHLAND'S VISIT. It was during Mr. Stewart's visit to the United States that the mercantile submarine, or, as the Americans call it, the "U" boat Deutschland arrived at Baltimore from Oermany, bringing with her a cargo of dye stuffs which were sorely needed, and taking back a lading composed largely of nickel and rubber. Great 6ecrecy was maintained with regard to what wae going on on th ship, a large barricade being erected around the dock to which she was tied. The achievement of Captain Paul Koenig in crossing the Atlantic in a "U" boat was the subject of many encomiums from the United States people. At first the newspapers were very bitter on account of the British Government having black-listed, a number of firms doing business in the States, but this ebullition seemed to die a natural death.

At one of the large cities in which Mr. Stewart resided he lived in an apartment with a Hebrew gentleman of German extraction. Being on friendly terms with him he was rather diffident as to what his attitude was in regard to the war. His mind wae much relieved at an early stage of their acquaintance by his remarking, "Well, Mr. Stewart, ac to the war, I'm like the old woman, I'm neutral; but I don't care who kills the Kaiser."